Creating Content
A mailing has two parts: the content, or message you want to send, and a segment, or group of recipients who should receive the message. When you create a new mailing, you can either type the content you'd like to send directly into the mailing, or insert content you've already created.
Creating content instead of entering your message into every mailing has many advantages. You can:
-Create a unit of content once, then use it in multiple mailings as a template.
-Personalize your message by inserting mail merge fields and conditional text.
-Add clickthrough tracking URLs, and track how often they've been clicked.
If you are sending out a message only once, and don't want or need to use these features, you may find it easier to skip this step and Create a New Mailing.
The Main Content Page
The main Content page shows you all of the content you've created for a particular list. You can save, edit or reuse content on this page. Think of it as your personal content "library."
Creating New Content
1. Click on the Content tab.
2. Click on Create New Content. You'll be taken to the Content: New Content: Essentials page.
3. Enter a Name and Description to identify the content. Note that the Name cannot have any spaces.
4. Enter the email address of who the message should appear to be From:. By default, your email address will appear there. To customize the message, select Insert Field to insert a mail merge field or an autoresponder address. Here are some examples of valid entries for the From: field:
bob@example.com
Bob Smith <bob@example.com>
bob@example.com (Bob Smith)
"Bob Smith" <bob@example.com>
5. Enter the email address of who the message should be To:. By default, the To: field is set to %%nameemail%%, which will merge in the name and email address of each recipient. To customize the message further, select Insert Field to insert a mail merge field.
The To: field does not actually select the message's recipients. When building your mailing, you'll specify the segment or lists to which you'd like to send the message.
Example:
"Jazz List" <jazztalk@lists.sparklist.com>
6. Enter the Subject: of the message. Recipients will see this line as the subject of the message they receive. To customize the subject line for each recipient, select Insert Field to insert a mail merge field.
7. Select the Text Message or HTML Message tab, and type or paste the contents of your message in the field.
You may create just a text or HTML body, and that is what will be sent to your recipients. Or, you can create both, and send a message that has both text and HTML. This format is called multipart-alternative, and ListManager will create the correct headers and boundaries automatically. Recipients who can see HTML will only see your HTML message; those who can't, will see the text.
You can customize your message for every recipient by selecting Insert Field or Insert Condition. Track which URLs recipients click by using Insert URL.
6. Select the Advanced tab if you'd like to add headers, make this content into a template, or note what language the message is in.
8. Click on Save and Test to preview what your message will look like. Or, click on Save. You'll be taken to the Content main page, where you can edit, test, copy, or delete the content you just created.
Editing Content
Editing content is much like creating new content. To edit preexisting content, follow these steps:
1. Click on the Content tab.
2. Click on the name of the content you'd like to edit.
3. Edit the content as desired.
4. Click on Save, or Save and Test.
Adding Directions on How to Unsubscribe
Important note for users of earlier versions of ListManager: The list, site or server message wrapping will not be automatically included to your message if you create it through the ListManager administrator GUI. Please remember to add these instructions to your content or mailing, or send the message to the list via email.
To Insert Email Unsubscribe Instructions:
1. Create new content, or edit existing content (see instructions above).
2. Click on the Text Message or HTML Message tab.
3. Click on Insert Field.
4. Click on the Unsubscribe tab.
5. Under Text Unsubscribe Directions, select Short: Unsubscribe from This List.
6. Click Insert. The unsubscribe directions will be inserted at the bottom of your content.
7. Repeat for the the Text Message or HTML Message, if applicable.
To Insert an Unsubscribe URL:
1. Create new content, or edit existing content (see instructions above).
2. Click on the Text Message or HTML Message tab.
3. Click on Insert URL.
4. Click on the Unsubscribe tab.
5. Specify whether you want members to receive Email Notification that they have unsubscribed from your list. If selected, they will receive the Goodbye message specified in Utilities: List Settings: Basic Information: Documents.
6. Specify whether they will be unsubscribed From All Lists on your server, or just the list from which this content is sent. (Note: If you are sending to a segment of a list, the member will be unsubscribed from the list, not just from the segment).
7. Specify whether members must Confirm their request to unsubscribe. If selected, members will be taken to a web page asking them to confirm their unsubscribe request before being taken off the list.
8. Enter an optional Destination URL where unsubscribing members will be taken to after unsubscribing from your list.
9. Click Insert. The unsubscribe URL will be inserted at the bottom of your content.
10. Repeat for the the Text Message or HTML Message, if applicable.
More
1. Quick Start
2. Running ListManager for the First Time
3. Logging In
4. Homepage
5. Mailing Now!
7. Creating Content
8. Creating and Using Templates
10. Success Tracking
14. Viewing Reports
15. Creating List Administrators
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